Capítulo 28

1 - There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined.

2 - Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.

3 - Mortals put an end to the darkness; they search out the farthest recesses for ore in the blackest darkness.

4 - Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft, in places untouched by human feet; far from other people they dangle and sway.

5 - The earth, from which food comes, is transformed below as by fire;

6 - lapis lazuli comes from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.

7 - No bird of prey knows that hidden path, no falcon's eye has seen it.

8 - Proud beasts do not set foot on it, and no lion prowls there.

9 - People assault the flinty rock with their hands and lay bare the roots of the mountains.

10 - They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures.

11 - They search Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew [They dam up] the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light.

12 - But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?

13 - No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.

14 - The deep says, "It is not in me"; the sea says, "It is not with me."

15 - It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

16 - It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.

17 - Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

18 - Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

19 - The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold.

20 - Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?

21 - It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.

22 - Destruction Hebrew [Abaddon] and Death say, "Only a rumor of it has reached our ears."

23 - God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,

24 - for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

25 - When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,

26 - when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,

27 - then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.

28 - And he said to the human race, "The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding."